What Osimhen said after Galatasaray fans honoured late mother with heart-warming tifo
Victor Osimhen was visibly moved to tears after Galatasaray supporters paid tribute to his late mother with a touching tifo before Tuesday’s 1-0 victory over Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League.
The Nigerian striker was preparing for the last-16 first-leg clash at Rams Park when fans unveiled a massive banner showing Osimhen with his children while his mother looked on with a smile. The display carried the message: “We are family, and family is everything.”
Osimhen’s mother, Christiana, died when he was just three years old. Cameras quickly captured the forward wiping away tears after noticing the tribute, although he composed himself before kick-off.
Emotional moment before decisive contribution
Despite the emotional moment, Osimhen quickly shifted his focus to the match and played a key role in Galatasaray’s victory.
The 27-year-old provided the assist for Mario Lemina, whose close-range finish after seven minutes proved decisive.
Galatasaray could have extended their lead later in the game, but Osimhen saw a second-half effort ruled out for offside as the Turkish champions held on to take a narrow advantage into the second leg.
Osimhen thriving in Istanbul
Osimhen’s influence this season has been significant. The striker now has 10 goal involvements, seven goals and three assists in nine Champions League appearances this campaign.
Across all competitions, he has scored 18 goals in 27 matches, taking his tally to 55 goals in 68 games since arriving from SSC Napoli on loan in 2024 before completing a permanent move last summer.
Speaking to the club’s media after the match, the 27-year-old admitted the fans’ tribute meant a great deal to him.
Victor Osimhen in tears as Galatasaray fans delayed the banner of his late mother ahead of the Liverpool clash. 😭#PoojaInTurkey #ChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/sKw9VlFare
— POOJA!!! (@PoojaMedia) March 10, 2026
“I’ve been very happy since I arrived wearing this jersey.
“This jersey is very special. I wanted to do my best for these fans. I’m experiencing completely different emotions here.
“I lost my mother at a young age, and the fans made me very happy today . That’s why it’s so important to me. We are a family with the Galatasaray fans.”
And he had words of praise for his teammates who got the better of Arne Slot’s side for the second time this season after a 1-0 win in the league phase.
“We did a very good job today. I think we can hurt Liverpool in the return match. We’ve done a good job so far,” he said.